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MACHINES.

Patented Nov. 4,1890.

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DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE PRESSURE PLATES 0P PLANING (No Model.)

17 Inventor.

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B QMX Witnesses,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. CRAFTS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. & B.

HOLMES WOOD WORKING MACHINERY DEPARTMENT, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTlNG THE PRESSURE-PLATES 0F PLANlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,018, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed February 12, 1890. Serial No. 340 19L (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. CRAFTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Devices for Adjusting the Pressure-Plates of Planing-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved means for adjusting the pressureplate of wood-planing or other machines, whereby any adjustment of the pressure-plate is rendered secure, so that it cannot be disturbed in any way by the action of the machine, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation,a portion being broken away so as to show the construction of the several parts. Fig. 2 is an underside view of one of the adjusting hand-wheels. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the center of the pressure-plate in or about linea, b, Fig. 1, all portions beyond the section being omitted. Fig. 4 is a top view of one of the hand adjusting-wheels. Fig. 5 is an under side view of the pressure-plate and its adjusting mechanism.

In said drawings, 1 represents the wellknown pressure-plate of a planing-machine. It is usually cast in one piece with the slotted cross-bar 2, the two ends 3 ofwhich are secured so as to be movable up or down in the vertical slideways 4 in the holding-pieces 5. These two holding-pieces 5 are secured to the machine by bolts 6. Through a hole in the top of each of the holding-pieces is passed a vertical screw-threaded bolt 7, having a collar 8 rigidly secured thereto, so as to limit its movement upward in its holding-piece 5, and at the top of each bolt 7 is rigidly secured a hand-Wheel 9. The under side of each handwheel 9 is provided with a series of small teeth 10, and in each holding-piece 5 is ahole 11, in which is loosely fitted a steel pin 12, resting on a spiral spring 13. This pin 12 is beveled each way at the top, so as to form a wedge-shaped end 14, adapted to engage with the teeth 10. From this construction it will be seen that the hand-wheel 9 may be turned by the hand in either direction, the springs 13 allowing the bolts or pins 12 to alternately move up and down as the teeth 10 move over the wedge-shaped edge of the same and thereby raise or lower the pressure-plate. It will be further seen that when an adjustment is made the edges or points of the steel pins 12, being forced up by the spring 13 between the teeth 10, will rigidly hold the ratchet handwheels in position, so as to preventthem from being disturbed or moved by the operation or jar of the machine, and thereby keep a perfect adjustment of thepressure-plate, as hereinbefore mentioned. The small teeth 10 may be put on the periphery of the ratchet handwheels 9 and the pins or bolts 12 maybe arranged in horizontal slideways; but the pins 12 would be in the way of the hands While operating the wheels 9. Consequently its operation would not answer the purpose as well as that above mentioned.

I claim as my invention- The pressure-plate of a planing or other machine fitted in vertical slideways, in combination with the screw-bolts 7, ratchet handwheels 9, provided with teeth on their under sides, vertical pins 12, and springs 13 for keeping them up in engagement with the teeth in the hand-wheels, substantially as and for the purposes described.

F. H. CRAFTS.

Witnesses:

J AMES SANGSTER, HENRY ASHBERY. 

